Nature Vs. Nurture An Individual s Criminal Behavior Essay

The objective of this study is to examine whether it is nature or nurture who plays the most vital role in a human’s behavior, specifically an individual’s criminal behavior. Criminal behavior is defined as an act or failure to act in a way that violates public law. Some believe that criminal behavior can be identified as early as conception, meaning that criminal behavior is because of your genes. While others believe that one’s upbringing and social learning environment directly contributes to the individual’s criminal behavior. This paper will provide the history on the ongoing debate of nature vs. nurture and answer the question of whether it is Review of the Literature This controversial debate has existed since 1869, when the phrase Nature Versus Nurture was coined by the English polymath, Francis Galton. Nature refers to what we are born with and includes our biology, genetics, and similar characteristics. In contrast, nurture refers to what is learned, through our cultural community and other individuals. For anthropologists, this debate often centers on the influences of nature and nurture in different cultural elements. Both nature and nurture influences affect the human beings and their culture. The book On the Origin of Species written by Charles Darwin had a significant impact on Francis Galton. In Galton’s two publication, Hereditary Genius (1869) and English Men of Science: Their Nature and Nurture (1874), he explored the world of inheritance andShow MoreRelatedDevelopmental Psychology1194 Words   |  5 PagesElam, K. K., Harold, G. T., Neiderhiser, J. M., Reiss, D., Shaw, D. S., Natsuaki, M. N., . . . L eve, L. D. (2014). Adoptive parent hostility and children’s peer behavior problems: Examining the role of genetically informed child attributes on adoptive parent behavior. Developmental Psychology, 50(5), 1543-1552. This source goes against the belief that nature and nurture even paly that much of a significant role in the way children grow up to portray themselves. Elam and Shaw say that it’s all aboutRead MoreSerial Killers Statistics : Serial Killer Statistics Essay818 Words   |  4 PagesRetrieved July 28, 2016 from http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/burke_b/forensic/class%20readings/murder.pdf In this article, the focus is on comparing the traits and similarities of the seven killers interviewed in order to increase knowledge on the behaviors behind the serial murderers. The interview covers the perpetrators backgrounds, their personal views of themselves, and the world. Consequently, this approach will reveal the deepest thoughts of a killer’s brain. Guy, F. (2015, July 8). Inside theRead MoreChild Development: Heredity and Environment1240 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween nature versus nurture or even environment versus heredity leads to the question of: does the direct environment or the nature surrounding an adolescent directly influence acts of delinquency, later progressing further into more radical crimes such as murder or psychotic manifestation, or is it directly linked to the hereditary traits and genes passed down from that individual adolescent’s biological parents? To answer this question one must first understand the difference between nature, nurtureRead MoreFrankenstein : Are Monsters Born Or Created?1058 Words   |  5 Pagesthe novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley, the creature is subjected to countless acts of violence and rejection. For a monster to develop, one must have been formerly exploited either by an individual or their society. 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Nurture Essay1993 Words   |  8 PagesSerial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture Crime over the years has become a very popular subject. There are countless movies, shows, books and documentaries about such events. Individuals are very entertained for one reason or another by these types of shows. There have been many discussions, debates and research studies done particularly pertaining to the question â€Å"What causes someone to become a serial killer?† Psychologists, criminologists and scientists agree that the Nature nurture debate is the mostRead MoreHumans Learn Ethics From Their Environment1597 Words   |  7 PagesHumans Learn Ethics from their Environment There has been a huge debate throughout the years as to whether human beings are ethical by nature or whether ethics is acquired in other ways. Christian Keyser’s research has evidence showing that humans are ethical by nature; conversely the Milgram experiment propagates that humans are not ethical by nature. Humans learn ethics as a result of their genetic predisposition, as well as, environmental factors such as: culture, socialization, and nurturing